TUMWATER –– Tumwater city officials talked about the city’s aims for 50 percent of its land to integrate a natural tree canopy by 2040 after the issue came up at the Tuesday night city council meeting.
The Urban Forestry Management Plan seeks to achieve and maintain an adequate amount of tree cover throughout the city and in all of its various zones. Dense vegetation is important not only to clean the air residents breathe, but also to serve as habitats for wildlife and to help cool the city air, city officials said.
“This is a plan that covers both the public and the private [sector],” said Planning Manager Brad Medrud. “All of this work was started in 2017 with the tree board, stakeholders, consultants, and [the] interested parties.”
The 20-year plan is part of the city’s goal to “be a leader in environmental sustainability” and “develop new approaches to tree preservation and urban forestry management,” according to the city of Tumwater’s website.
It includes a spreadsheet detailing the goals for a percentage of tree cover in each zone of the city. These are compared with the 2011 measurement because the data for this year was determined by analysts to be more reliable than the 2018 data, according to Medrud. For example, the “city core mixed use” zone had a 22 percent tree cover in 2011, and the 2040 goal is set at 30 percent, just 3 percent over the 2018 metric.
One of the greatest challenges in increasing and maintaining the tree volume lies in balancing the need to grow and expand city infrastructure and housing with the need for stable habitats for wildlife and diverse biomes within the ecosystem. Of course, trees in different areas serve different purposes.
“There’s about 3,600 street trees that were surveyed in the summer of 2018,” explained Medrud. “We now have a database that is currently being used … by public works [so we] know what’s happening with the trees, what needs to be replaced, [and the] conditions of the sidewalks.”
Additionally, dynamic environmental conditions can also pose a risk.
“Changes in climate, changes in terms of disease and other things coming in can really wreak havoc on tree coverage,” explained Medrud.
A concern brought forth by a council member asks how the city can be sure to increase the amount of trees in an industrial zone while also continuing to add new structures.
“There will be some trees lost during the process,” said Medrud. “There will be additional trees that are planted [such as street trees by facilities]. The expectation is over the 20 years, the canopy over the area will be about the same.”
In essence, it will require the replacement of trees that are removed during construction to maintain an adequate level, but they may be planted in slightly different places to accommodate the development of the land. Land developers can also agree to section off a part of their land for the purpose of growing vegetation.
Of course, replacing entire forests with single street trees could lose many of the benefits that trees bring about collectively. Denser coverage is more natural for harboring wildlife, creating shaded areas, and is a key part of maintaining the balance between urban and wild.
“The health of the forest [is so important], not just the individual tree,” said Medrud. “[We want to] build resilience within the forest.”
It will take time and a consistent effort by policymakers and coordination by relevant parties to ensure that the environment remains a top priority in the era of COVID-19. Preserving and expanding the tree cover takes more than simply rezoning industrial land to a more residential type, city officials said.
“It’s a much bigger thing than just saying that city staff will take care of it,” said Medrud.
To reconcile the issue of what trees need to remain and which ones can be moved elsewhere, a key consideration is its function.
According to Medrud, “[We want] the right tree in the right place. There are appropriate places for those trees in the community...[and] where best [to] be located.”
The Tumwater City Council will talk more about its plans to increase the tree cover of the city at a work session on Aug. 25. For more information on the Urban Forestry Management Plan, you can visit the “Trees” page on the city website.
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